Man of Iron, Heart of Gold
by Kitty Am I
Summary: When Tony's long lost niece is orphaned with two faulty legs, a broken heart, and a broken mind, Tony will do anything to show her that he truly values family. Post-Avengers / On Hiatus
1. The First

**a/n: another story?! what am I getting myself into?! I can't limit myself! This was my dream last night. Thought I'd write it out for ya. Read and Review.**

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**Chapter 1:**

I wheeled myself into the lobby of a huge, demeaning building.

"I'm here for someone named Fury?" I said uncertainly, at the front desk.

"Miss Tessa Adams, I presume?" The receptionist asked, standing up so she could see me over the tall counter.

"Yeah..." I muttered.

"Right this way." She said leading me to an elevator, and pressing a button for me. "They'll be someone expecting you."

I nodded. "Thanks."

"Oh, and you'll want this." She said, tossing me a badge before the doors closed, and I was left in the elevator alone, with my thoughts.

I quickly pinned the badge to my soft, blue Doctor Who tee shirt. I'm kind of a nerd like that. Science fiction movies at home, advanced chemistry classes at school, my type of thing.

The elevator doors opened to a bustling hallway full of important looking people, who all looked like they had terribly important things to do, and that they needed to get them done as quickly as possible.

"Excuse me?" I called out as I wheeled myself into the room. "I'm looking for someone named Fury."

Nobody here seemed to be able to give me the time of day.

I sighed.

"Tessa Adams?" Someone asked from behind me.

I turned my head to look at them. It was a woman, tall with short brown hair.

"Agent Maria Hill. I'll take you to Fury." She said with a smile. "This way."

She led me down a hallway. A man was shouting at someone, and seemed very upset.

"We went over this already! You WILL do it, and you WILL do it happily."

The rest of the conversation was inaudible.

Agent Hill knocked on the door of the last room in the hallway. The room where all the shouting was coming from.

"What?" The man growled from inside the room.

"Director Fury, Miss Adams has arrived." Maria informed, without opening the door.

"Let her in." Director Fury commanded.

"Good luck, Sweetheart" Maria Hill said sympathetically, and opened the door for me, than left.

I wheeled myself in the room slowly.

"Perfect timing." A scary looking black man with an eyepatch, whom assumed was Director Fury, announced. "Tony, meet your niece."

The other man in the room (the one Director Fury had been yelling at so feverishly just moments before) spun around, and I immediately recognized him as the infamous Tony Stark.

"All this time, my Dad's mysterious, hush hush, older brother was Tony Bloody Stark?" I scoffed.

"Wow. That's pleasant." Tony frowned.

"He hated you." I said in wonderment. "He wouldn't even tell me your name, and he changed his own name. What did you do to deserve that?"

"I did nothing. I was the older brother, I inherited Stark industries, your father, my brother, disowned me. He wanted nothing to do with me." Tony said simply.

"I had to get my legs cut off because we couldn't afford treatment and my own uncle is the richest man on the planet!" I screamed.

"I didn't know! Darrel told me nothing!" He defended. "I would've helped you! I know you probably won't believe me, but I would've!"

Tears ran down my face. "He could've helped me this whole time..."

At age fourteen I developed a rare form of bone cancer in both of my legs. The choices were amputations, or chemo. My parents couldn't afford the chemo, so we went with the amputations. It was incredibly hard on me. I was a ballerina, ballet was the only thing I knew. For two years I was a recluse. I never left the house. I developed depression. My dad could've prevented all this and he didn't.

Tony's face suddenly softened. "Tessa, right?" He asked.

I nodded.

"You've been through a lot lately, I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"I'm not a baby!" I hissed. "I know they're dead! I know they aren't coming back. I know I won't be able to dance again, and even though you say I'm still the same person, I'M NOT."

My parents were hit by a car two days ago. I was flown out here to New York to meet my only living relative, my uncle, whom my father had always detested.

We sat there in silence.

Fury cleared his throat. "Well, now that you've introduced yourselves, how about I tell you what happens next?"


	2. The Second

**A/N: Wow! I'm surprised how much you guys like this story already! (I really like it too :D)**

**Thanks for reading, don't forget to review!**

**-Kitty**

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**Chapter 2:**

I sat awkwardly at a table with Tony inside his Malibu Mansion, eating our lunches, staring out the window, neither of us knowing what to say.

"Tell me about yourself." Tony asked suddenly.

"Tessa Mariam Adams..."

"Stark." Tony interrupted. "I legally adopted you. Besides, Adams isn't REALLY your last name is it? It's been Stark all along."

"Okay, Tessa Mariam Stark. Born January 26th, 1996. Orphan. Amputee. Cancer survivor. Former ballerina. Science nerd."

"You're not really an orphan anymore." Tony suggested.

"Fine, former orphan." I corrected.

"Former orphan, former ballerina. That's the former you. What's the current you?" Tony remarked again.

"Amputee, cancer survivor, science nerd." I said slightly confused, raising an eyebrow.

"Your disease isn't you. You hate it when people categorize you as a "cancer kid" don't you?"

That bloody mind reader. Stubborn too. No wonder dad hated him.

"Fine." I grumbled. "Tessa Mariam Adams. Science nerd." I rolled my eyes. "Happy?"

"That's the ticket." He winked. "Come with me, I want to show you something."

He stood up from the table and started down a hall, and I trailed behind.

"Do you want me to push you or something?" Tony asked over his shoulder.

"Absolutely not." I scoffed.

"Then you gotta be a lot faster than that." He smirked

We sped down the hall until we got to some stairs.

"Oh." He frowned. "Stairs."

"You do have an elevator, don't you?" I asked.

"Not exactly.." He said thinking for a moment. "Go sit on the couch and watch two episodes of that British show or whatever."

"Okay..." I said cautiously as I made my way to the living room.

I parked my wheelchair parallel to the couch, and hoisted myself up there.

"I'll be needing this." He said folding up my chair and tucking it under his arm as he walked away.

"Wait... What are you doing?" I asked, but he couldn't hear me.

"If I know Tony, he's probably making it better." Some British man said out of nowhere.

"Who's there?" I asked, hiding my fear.

"I am JARVIS, personal assistant to Tony Stark." The voice said again, yet I could see no one around.

"Show yourself." I commanded.

Jarvis was silent.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Miss Tessa." Jarvis said

"How do you know my name?" I asked cautiously.

"I know everything, Miss Tessa."

"Tony!" I shrieked.

Tony came running into the room moments later.

"Tessa, what's wrong?" He asked breathlessly.

"There's someone here. He's hiding. He knows who I am!" I said, my eyes darting around the room searching for the mysterious Jarvis.

"Who are you!" Tony shouted. "How did you breach security unnoticed? Is this a prank? Clint? Fury?"

"It's just me, Sir." JARVIS said.

Tony sighed. "It's just Jarvis. He's an AI."

"Oh.." I said like that was completely normal, which it ISN'T!

"JARVIS, play her Mister Who show for her, I have work to do." Tony said walking off again.

"It's DOCTOR Who." I corrected.

I should've known Tony Stark wouldn't have time for me, some random niece he just found out existed. Tony Stark didn't care for family. Everyone knew that, the way he treated women and all. People were just pawns in the big game of Being Tony Stark, just numbers, floating balls of money to spend on his products. And I wasn't any different. The only reason he probably ever agreed was for publicity. Tony adopting his orphaned, cancer-stricken niece would make him seem much more family-oriented, right? Tony Stark bloody disgusts me.

I slouched back into the couch as the show started.

"Is he always this way, JARVIS?" I asked

"He's just as stressed as you are." JARVIS offered.

"Can you read minds JARVIS?" I asked him again.

"No, Mr. Stark experimented with that for a while, but as of your arrival, that project has been put on hiatus."

"Of course." I mumbled.

"Is that all, Miss Stark?" JARVIS asked.

"Sure." I said. "But call me Tessa. Please?"

"Yes, Miss Tessa."

So great. Not only am I interrupting his work constantly by existing, I put a whole ground-breaking study on hiatus. At least I could still keep my thoughts to myself, seeing as they were the only thing I really had left.

I watched my show, trying to guess which episode it was. Episode 5, first season (Well, ninth doctor.) Dalek, I believe. Actually one of my favorites.

I had watched quite a few episodes, when Tony came back in.

"That took longer than I thought." He apologized.

I rolled my eyes, not straying my attention from the television.

"I'd still like to show you something." Tony offered.

"Aren't I interrupting your work or something." I mumbled.

"No."

"Admit it Tony. I'm just a nuisance. A publicity stunt."

"No." He said again.

"Yeah right. Why'd you really take me in?"

"I'm not all my brother made me out to be. Sure, I'm haughty and stuck up most the time, I know exactly what your going through."

"You have no idea." I scoffed, still refusing to look at him.

"My parents drove off a bridge." He said quietly.

"Yeah? Well you got a fortune from that. My parents died and I was sent to live with some billionaire who doesn't even know me." I muttered.

"You can have all my money. All of it."

I scoffed. "Yeah right."

"Seriously. What do you want. Anything. I'll buy it for you."

"Well in that case. Give me the Tardis. Then I'll believe you." I said gesturing toward the television where the Tardis was disappearing.

"Done." He said quickly.

"Whatever. Can I have my chair back?" I asked.

"Yeah, but I should warn you..."

I got in the chair as soon as he unfolded it, and rolled off towards my room.

Halfway down the hall, something strange started to happen. My wheels started to lift of the ground, yet I was still controlling it by the wheels.

"What is bloody happening." I whispered

"I upgraded it." Tony said from the back of the hall.

"Stalker." I accused.

"Can I show you what was downstairs now." He asked, walking toward me.

"Nope. But you can tell me how to get this thing on the ground."

"Here." He said handing me some sort of see-through tablet.

"What the heck is this?" I asked.

"That's your StarkPad. I upgraded your chair so you could control it from there. Also, it now flies."

"You're trying to bloody kill me." I chuckled.

"I'm trying to prove my point."

"And what point is that."

"I'm not as selfish as everyone thinks."

I scoffed and continued to make my way down the hall.

"Pepper will be here to take you shopping in two hours."

"Who's Pepper." I asked, rolling my eyes.

"Strawberry blond. Beautiful. You'll know when you see her."

"Whatever." I said, and slammed the door behind me.


	3. The Third

**Thanks again for the support!**

**-Kitty**

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**Chapter 3:**

There was a knock at my door. I got into my chair and rolled myself to the door, opening it by the keypad Tony had moved down low so I could reach.

The door opened and revealed a very pretty women, strawberry blond, slight freckles. She was wearing a pencil skirt and matching blazer, very sophisticated looking.

"So you're Pepper?" I presumed.

"That would be me." She smiled.

"Why are we going shopping?" I asked as she walked, and I wheeled (Via Starkpad) through an expensive dress store.

"Tony has a gala tonight he'd like you to attend." Pepper answered kindly. "You need a dress."

"Oh, why should it matter. I'm going to be in a chair the whole time anyway." I complained.

"You're officially Tony Stark's daughter," she explained. "Tony Stark goes all out."

"I hate dresses. They look incredibly awkward on me."

"I'll find something." She promised.

After nearly two hours of me being a down-right butt-head about trying on all these different stupid dresses, we found one.

It was a beige strapless dress, with a very princess-y feel, complete with a lace up corset. The original dress was quite long, but Pepper had it trimmed so it would be about mid thigh, and look less odd on a girl with no legs. Okay, technically I had legs, but they were cut off at my knees, to give you an idea.

Pepper had my hair done by some stylist, it was in about five separate braids, which all joined together in a bun on the top of my head. My hair was a bright fiery orange, and it looked very out of place in such an elegant up-do.

I rolled down the hallway to get to my room. I wanted to grab my stupid starkphone before we left. I opened the door, and went to my closet, and BAM, there's a huge blue telephone box in the corner of my room.

"Tony actually bought the tardis!" I chuckled. I wheeled around it. What an incredibly accurate replica! I opened the doors. "However, it is the same size on the inside."

"It took some convincing, but they finally gave it up." Tony said from my door.

"Stop stalking me." I frowned.

"Sorry."

"Is this... The actual Police box?" I asked.

"You betcha. Fresh off the set." Tony grinned.

"You're kidding!" I exclaimed in wonderment and awe.

"Nope." Tony's eyes lit up as a huge grin crept across my face.

"Why'd you do that for me? It must've cost a fortune!"

"Because, you're my niece. I always loved Darrel, I tried to connect with him I really did. Now you're the only family I have left."

I sighed, and rolled over to him. He squatted down so he could be eye level with me.

"You're the only family I have left too." I mumbled.

"Do you hate me?" Tony asked.

I shook my head.

"I don't hate you either." He smiled.

"Thank you," I said. "For everything. Maybe you aren't that bad after all."


	4. The Fourth

**A/N: wow! This story is easily going to become my most followed! We have almost twenty followers in four days! Kinda a shorter chapter today. Thanks so much for your support, don't forget to review!**

**-Kitty**

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**Chapter 4:**

I spent all my time working with Tony in the lab. Tony hadn't registered me for school yet, and I certainly wasn't going to remind him.

"What's today's date?" Tony asked toying with some part of his suit, improving the shin protection or something It looks like.

"Uh.. January 22" I said checking my StarkPad, which I never let out of my sight. Not only is it my only means of transportation, this journal is on there!

"Your birthday is Saturday." Tony groaned.

"Oh yeah..." I realized. "What's so bad about my birthday?"

"JARVIS can you call Pepper down here, I need a favor." Tony commanded.

"Yes sir." JARVIS responded.

I sat there awkwardly, dropping the project I had been working on, and just watching Tony.

Pepper opened the door and walked in.

"You called?" Pepper asked, with just a hint of sarcasm.

"Take Tessa upstairs. I need to work on this. You two, plan a party or something. That's good. A birthday party. Now go." Tony said, working intently on his suit.

Pepper and I sat at the dining room table with many party planning magazines strewn over the table top.

"So, who would you like to invite?" Pepper asked.

"My friends are all in Oregon, and even then I only had two. I hadn't barely left the house."

"We can still invite them?" Pepper suggested.

"Nah, I haven't exactly talked to them in a year or so."

"Okay.." Pepper said slowly. "We'll invite the avengers."

I sighed. "Believe it or not, intellectual depressed nerd girl doesn't even really want a birthday party."

"We'll invite all of Hollywood!" Pepper pleaded. "You have to have a birthday party!"

I thought for a moment. "Invite The cast of Doctor Who and you've got a deal."

"Thank you!" Pepper squealed. "Wait, who?"

"The cast of Doctor Who. That British television show that is the only reason besides hanging out with Tony in the lab that I actually get up in the morning."

"I see." Pepper blushed. "We'll invite them."

"You're the best Pepper!"

"What type of desserts will we be serving?" Pepper asked.

"I love chocolate. I'll eat anything chocolate, I'll eat tree bark if it's covered in chocolate."

"So, chocolate cake?" She asked, jotting down all my answers on her own Starkpad.

"And Ice Cream. And brownies, and cookies, and any other baked good with chocolate. And a chocolate fountain! A huge one!" I said, in all seriousness.

"We will get the largest chocolate fountain we can find." Pepper promised with a smile. "Formal or casual?"

"Casual. Definitely. I hate dressing up, I just want to wear my cut-offs." I answered. I had practically twenty pairs of cut-off jean shorts. They're basically the only thing I wear. Mom would always buy me jeans, but I hated the way the empty ends just hung there, so I always ended up cutting them into shorts.

"Okay," she said as she wrote that down as well. "Presents?"

"I'd rather not, I don't want a bunch of random presents from Hollywood celebrities who've never met me. But we should have a photo booth, like they do at award show after parties! That way I can get my picture with the Doctor Who cast, and I can get them to sign it!" I haven't been this excited about anything, basically ever, but especially not post-amputations.

"I'm sure Tony has something for you, and I know I do." Pepper said.

"We'll have a family party later. Just us three watching a movie on the couch or something." I suggested.

Pepper smiled. "I like that idea."


	5. The Fifth

**A/N: Really guys, I am just, wow, right now, like, my first fic, Love is Child Play months to get where this story has gotten in days! Thank you!**

**-Kitty**

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**Chapter 5:**

"Hey there, Birthday Girl!" Pepper said giddily, giving me a hug. "It's about time you got up!"

I looked at the time on my StarkPad. "Uh, it's like 1 PM. I always sleep this late."

"Oh, I'd just expect you to get up early on your birthday!"

"Not really." I responded.

"Well your party is in four hours, Tony's working on something in the lab, and he told me to tell you that you can't go down there."

"Oh." I frowned.

"What do you want to do? We can go out for a birthday lunch, go shopping, it's up to you."

"Know any good pizza places?" I asked.

Pepper smirked. "I think I do."

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I sat in front of a mirror, as Pepper brushed my hair.

"You're really awesome, Pepper." I said.

"Thanks, Tess. You're pretty awesome too." She smiled as she proceeded to French braid my short red hair, into two tiny braids, like a cowgirl or something. It actually was looking pretty cool.

"How do you put up with Tony?" I asked.

She laughed. "It's a challenge sometimes. He can be a jerk, but I think it's just a front. He's been hurt by people close to him, and he can never know if someone is using him for his fortune. If he lets you in, he can be a really nice person."

"I'm trying to let him in. He does nice things for me, and acts all kind, but the he shuts himself up in the lab all day on my birthday, and he hasn't been out once." I frowned.

"I think you'll find he has a very good explanation for that." She chucked, as she tied off my braids.

"He better." I sighed.

I rolled my way out to the decked out party room. Streamers weaved intricately through the rafters, and in the middle, was the biggest chocolate fountain, nearly ten feet tall, and certainly large enough for one to swim in.

"Wow, Pep! This is amazing!" I exclaimed.

"I think we did a pretty good job." Pepper smiled.

"Where's Tony?" I asked. "Guests will be arriving any moment now!

Pepper sighed. "I'll go check the lab."

Nearly ten minutes later, while I chatted with JARVIS, Tony and Pepper made their way up the stairs.

Tony's hair was a mess, and he had a smear of grease on his forehead.

I frowned. "What took you so long. And you look like a mess."

"I'm sorry Tessa, I was working on something." He apologized.

"Tell me about it." I said sarcastically, as I rolled over to where a large, eight-tiered chocolate cake was displayed proudly on a table.

Pepper hastily combed out Tony's hair, and wiped off the grease with a napkin.

"Sir, your guests are arriving, shall I send them up?" JARVIS beckoned over the intercom.

"Of course." Tony said with a sigh. He walked over to me and set a hand on my shoulder "Is everything okay, Tessa?"

"Yeah, this is all wonderful, but, where were you all morning? Why couldn't I hang out with you?" I asked.

"I'll tell you later." He promised, as the guests started walking in through the doorway.

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The party was great, but there were a few people, like Lady Gaga, who didn't get the "Casual" memo, but then again, I'm not sure what casual is for Lady Gaga.

I got to meet Matt Smith, and Jenna-Louise Coleman, they were incredibly nice, and their accents were fantastic, how Tony convinced them to come out on such a short notice... Nobody would tell me.

Paparazzi tried to get in multiple times, and at one point, Tony's friend, my "Uncle Thor" socked one in the head!

I ate so much chocolate, I'm actually a bit sick of the taste right now, (believe it or not), and to my request, Tony promised not to get drunk, so I could hang out with him when the party was over. Unfortunately I actually went to bed before the party was over. I may be a teenager, but I love to sleep, and when the party is still going on at 2AM, you ditch your own party.

Overall, it was bloody brilliant, but I'm not a party person, and I just wish that I could've gotten to spend more time with Tony before the party, as once the party started, people never left his side.


	6. The Sixth

**A/N: I really can't thank you guys enough! The next chapter is one of my favorites ;) (Although this one is pretty good too!) Alssoooooo... Today's my BIRTHDAY :D now I know this sound cheesy, but for a birthday present... REVIEW :D (even if it's just to say happy birthday or whatever) but still! It's my birthday! -makes puppy dog face- reviewwwww!**

**-Kitty**

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**Chapter 6:**

That morning, well actually it was about two in the afternoon when I woke up, I sat in front of the television, watching dance moms (I had never seen it, but Pepper said it was her favorite, so I thought I'd give it a try.) eating a bowl of lucky charms. I insisted on my cereal, no matter what time it is when I wake up.

"I uh, I got something for ya." Tony said from across the room.

"I don't want another present." I sighed.

"First of all, Come on! How do you NOT want another present?" He exclaimed "And second of all, I spent a lot of time on this."

"If you think it's going to make up for ignoring me on my birthday, it's not." I mumbled.

"Just open it." He said walking over to me and thrusting a terribly wrapped present in my face.

"Nice wrapping." I said sarcastically, as I ripped the paper away.

"You can blame Butterfingers for that." Tony retorted.

"Did Butterfingers pick it out too?" I asked sarcastically.

Tony frowned.

I opened the cardboard box, and pulled out... Parts of Tony's suit?

"Wow. You gave me leftover parts of your suit." I sighed.

"Not exactly." He smirked. "Let me see."

I handed him one of the leg pieces.

"They're prosthetics." He smiled. He put the end of one where my left knee would've been. It made all these little clicking sounds, and then, I had a leg. I flexed and pointed my foot.

"That's amazing!" I exclaimed, smiling brightly as I immediately put the other one on.

"Ever since you got here, I'd been trying to make these, hoping I'd have them in time for your birthday. I thought they'd be similar to the suit, but when I realized how many adjustments I'd have to make in order for the prosthetics to work without actually having legs inside of them, it took much longer than expected, and that's why I was in the lab all day yesterday." He explained.

"Oh, thank you so much Tony!" I squealed as I hugged his neck tightly.

"Let's try them out!" He exclaimed, clapping his hands.

I pushed myself off the couch, and took my first step in three years. Then I just started running, I ran up and down stairs, I ran in circles, ran through every room I knew existed on this floor, until I was back in the living room.

"Tony, I'm really sorry I got angry at you. This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me!"

"You're very welcome, oh, and I forgot to tell you, I had a friend help me out with the feet. His name was um, Peter Martins." Tony smiled.

"Director of the New York City Ballet Company." I said slowly.

"I wanted to make sure you could dance in these. He said they would look odd, but that you could most definitely dance in them."

Now I was just in shock.

"Are you okay?" Tony asked, as I burst into tears.

"I'm better than okay!" I said, skipping around the room. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

I ran to Tony and hugged him tight. "You're a much better dad than my dad ever was."

"I wouldn't say that." Tony replied.

"You gave me my legs, you gave me freedom, you gave me dance, when all my dad did was take it all away from me." I said still holding him tight.

He rubbed my back as I cried into his shoulder, unable to contain my joy. I let go, and Tony Stark was smiling like a little five year old girl on Christmas morning.

I smiled a huge grin that mirrored his, and skipped around the room. Pepper had walked in, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"Let's go out and celebrate!" Tony exclaimed, throwing up his arms into the air for emphasis.

"I think we should." Pepper agreed, smiling. "Besides, I've got some news of my own, too."


	7. The Seventh

**A/N: wow! Thank you guys so much! The response for this story had made me so happy! Thank you! Another rather short chapter sorry :P lots of you were wondering, where all the other avengers were, I think this will answer your questions ;) they're coming soon! I labeled this an avengers fic instead of an ironman fic for a reason ;)**

**And thank you everyone for your birthday wishes. Especially MUSHAAAAY (Who wished me happy birthday before anyone else xD, even my parents) :3 If you don't know who mushy is, you should find out. Because she's awesome. **

**-Kitty**

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**Chapter 7:**

"So." Pepper said after we had ordered our food at some fancy Italian restaurant. "I've got some exciting news."

"Stark Industries' stocks just went up %104?" Tony guessed. Pepper shook her head.

"They're holding auditions for The NYCBC and you bribed Peter Martins into letting me in, even though I haven't danced in three years?" I guessed. Pepper laughed, then shook her head.

"Thor got a perm?"

Pepper rolled her eyes and shook her head again.

"Bruce invented time travel!"

Pepper shook her head once more.

"Oh I know! You're pregnant!" I shouted, drawing the attention of everyone in the restaurant.

Pepper's freckled face turned bright red. "No. That's not it."

"Then what is it!" Tony asked, exasperated.

"We're going back to New York!" Pepper said giddily.

Tony and I just stared at her blankly.

"Well, Phil called and apparently there was a security threat, and they want all the avengers at Stark Tower in the meantime. And I have enrolled you, my lady, in a very prestigious New York private school." Pepper exclaimed excitedly.

"What." Tony and I said at the same time.

Pepper looked shocked at our disapproval.

"Nuh Uh. I am not going to house a bunch of misfits just because SHIELD's got it's panties in a wad." Tony complained.

"And I can't go back to school! Not in New York! Not a private school! I'll have to get up early, and wear a uniform, and eat cafeteria food!" I whined.

"They're going to smash things, and shoot things, and use their frisbees everywhere and destroy my beautiful tower!"

"I'll actually have to leave the house everyday! And that means I won't barely have time to work in the lab! And do I even need to get started on the homework?"

"Both of you! Hush!" Pepper commanded. " It's already been done. Besides, it will be an experience!"

Tony and I groaned.

"Maybe we should run away." I whispered to Tony.

"I've got a private jet that can take us to Tahiti." Tony whispered back.

"Oh you guys." Pepper complained, rolling her eyes.


	8. The Eighth

**A/N: Thank you guys again for being so awesome! I like this chapter a Lott, because it lets you see more of the real Tessa. For the last few chapters her emotions have been wack, but now she's settled in, and her real personality can shine through! Also, Jane Foster because she's awesome. **

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**Chapter 8:**

I groaned. Today was Monday, the first day at New School of Stupidness. I grabbed my prosthetics off the floor, put them on, and stumbled out of bed and down the stairs.

"Good morning!" Jane Foster, Thor's pretty little science girlfriend said cheerfully, at the stove, cooking scrambled eggs side by side with Pepper.

"What's so good about it?" I grumbled.

"Gee, I'd never know you and Tony were related." She laughed.

I ignored her and her happiness, and sat down at the kitchen table beside Bruce who was reading the newspaper.

"Why do you people get up so early voluntarily." I asked, as Pepper brought me a cup of coffee and wished me good morning as well.

"Most of us are military." Clint said from out of nowhere.

"You really need to stop that." I glared at him.

"Stop what?" Clint asked, getting his own cup of coffee, and sitting in the chair opposite me.

"Stop.. Showing up out of nowhere, all silently." I said, crossing my arms across my chest.

"Why?" Clint asked carelessly.

"Because if you startle me like that again, I'm going to kick you in the nuts with my fancy metal foot." I hissed.

Steve had just walked in, long enough to hear my last comment. Steve's eyes were as big as saucers, and he stood there, frozen in the middle of the room.

"She's really not a morning person." Pepper apologized, setting a plate of bacon and eggs in front of me.

I pushed the food around my plate, eating little.

"Hurry up and eat." Pepper told me. "You still need to get ready."

I ate a few bites, and took the plate to Jane, who was doing the dishes.

I grouched upstairs to my room and changed into a pair of cutoffs and a Black Sabbath shirt Tony had bought me, similar to his own. Besides being a girl, and having bright red hair, I looked a lot like a miniature Tony, especially with my prosthetics, which were colored just like the iron man suit.

I grabbed my canvas satchel with my newly purchased textbooks, pencils, and notebooks inside, and hopped down the stairs, making sure to grab my Starkpad and Starkphone on the way out my door.

"Can't take that." Pepper said, taking my Starkpad from me when we got to the front door.

I groaned. "This school is already starting to be stupid."

Pepper shot me a stern look, and tucked the Starkpad under her arm as we walked to the car.

"Open it and die." I threatened.

Pepper sighed. "Tessa, I know you're not a morning person, but this attitude of your's better stop. Right now."

I sighed, and got in the passenger seat of some expensive car of Tony's I didn't even recognize the name of.


	9. The Ninth

**A/N: another one of Tessa's sassier chapters xD oh dear xD THANK YOU FOR READING AND REVIEWING AND FAVORITING AND FOLLOWING AND BEING AWESOME**

**-Kitty**

* * *

**Chapter 9:**

I walked in the room awkwardly. The teacher immediately stopped his lecture, and turned to me.

"Miss Stark?" He asked.

I nodded.

"Class, meet your newest classmate, Tessa Stark." He said, turning me to face the classroom.

The classroom looked like any other classroom. There were your nerds, reading books, or paying avid attention in the front row, your goths or what not in the back, the invisibles, per say, on the sides, and the popular s in the middle. The only thing different about this classroom, was him. Smack dab in the middle of the room, was a gorgeous creation, staring at me, his beautiful lips in a slight smile.

"I... I... I'm Tessa." I stammered, trying to avoid eye contact with the gorgeousness.

"Take a seat." The teacher smiled.

I took a seat in the only empty seat, in the front row.

After class, I fumbled to pack up my stuff as I got rushed along the crowd and out the door.

"Hey." Someone whispered from behind me.

I turned around sharply, nearly flicking him in the face with my hair. He flinched, causing his shiny dark brown hair to swish back and forth.

It was the mysterious, beautiful, staring creature.

"I'm Joshua." He said offering his hand.

I shook it slowly. "Tessa." I said, although it came out more like a question.

"I knew that. Tessa Stark. Let me take that for you." He said, grabbing the stack of books in my hand. I turned away quickly, so he couldn't see my red face. "Boy, was the principal bragging about you. He kept telling us how Tony hand picked the school, or whatever, and how we need to be on our best behavior."

"Great." I said sarcastically. "Now everyone knows who I am, and that I'm related to Ironman."

"Your legs kind of help too." He said gesturing towards my prosthetics.

"Oh." I mumbled with a frown.

"You know, you're kind of funny." He said, opening the first page of a science notebook and taking out a pen. "You should call me sometime."

He handed the books back as he got to his classroom, but I kept walking, my classroom was further down the hall. I quickly opened the notebook. He had written his name, his phone number, and a winking face. A BLOODY WINKING FACE. No. N. O. I am not the kind of girl that boys date, and I am especially not the kind of girl someone as popular and attractive as Joshua would date. My hair is thin and neon orange, it barely reaches my shoulders, my dark brown roots show through a bit, and did I mention, I have metal legs?! I'm pale and pasty, and covered and freckles, and no. Just no. Why would Joshua like me. There's plenty of other very attractive girl. Like that one girl, uh Jocelyn? She had this super long natural blonde perfectly curly hair, and these huge blue eyes, a natural surfer's tan, and she's tall, and she was obviously interested in him. I hate this. I really hate this. No! Not me! Why me? Ugh!

Everywhere I went I was constantly being asked if I really was Tony Stark's daughter, if he really made my legs, if they were just fancy boots, if Tony was going to pick me up in a ferrari (and with that I answered that I had a chauffeur, and Tony no longer did the driving, however I was wrong, becauseTony likes to show off and indeed pick me up in a Ferrari.)

Why does Tony like that attention. Before my parents died, the teachers would sometimes forget I raised my hand and had a question. Now the teachers were practically my little servants. Okay, maybe that is nice, but the students, I'm just like "OMG GET AWAY FROM ME CAN I HAVE SOME BREATHING SPACE OKAY THANKS." Most of the students are like, huge suck-ups and are all "oh I love your shirt, and your hair, and you shorts." And some aren't doing a good job at whispering when they make crap up about me.

"How was school?" Pepper asked as I slaved over my math homework, while stuffing my mouth with peanut m&m's.

"Bruucccee! Heeeeelp meee!" I whined.

"If I help you, you'll never learn." Bruce insisted.

"Jaaaaaane?" I asked expectantly.

"Nope. Sorry." Jane said with a shrug.

"Toooooony?"

"Nooooooope." Tony responded.

"JAAAAAARVIS?" I asked.

"Yes, Miss Tessa?" JARVIS said.

"If seven hundred twenty seven point five times x plus four equals Negative eight times x plus three hundred thirty four point four, what is x?"

"X would be three thousand three hundred four seven thousand three hundred fifty fifths,, Miss Tessa." JARVIS answered automatically.

"Thank you JARVIS!" I exclaimed, as that was the last problem, so I piled up all my books and started to run towards the elevator.

Me, being the klutz I am, considering I've only been walking for a week, tripped, causing the notebook on top of my stack to fall off and land at the feet of Tony, open to the very page Joshua wrote his number.

"Who's Joshua?" Tony asked sternly, as he picked up the notebook

"Some guy at school." I said taking the notebook from him as fast as possible, and hurrying towards the elevator

"Oooooh, Tessa's got a boyfriend!" Clint chanted.

"He's not my boyfriend." I hissed. "I don't even like him!"

Clint just chuckled as I smashed the button labeled "Floor 26"

"Be down at seven for dinner." Pepper said, as the doors closed in front of me, and I just rolled my eyes.


	10. The Tenth

**a/n: ASDFGHJKL I AM SO SORRY THAT I AM SO CRUEL! I just am having extreme writers block, but now, I promise, I will update okay? Not every day, once a week? Maybe? I'll try. Thanks for sticking with me.\**

**Plus- HERE'S NATASHA xD**

**-Kitty**

* * *

**Chapter 10:**

I stood in the middle of my walk-in closet, trying to find something to wear.

"Too fancy." I sighed, tossing an outfit to the side.

"Trying too hard" I sighed again

"Not me"

"Too... me"

"I give up!" I screeched.

There was a knock at my door.

"Who is it?" I growled.

"It's Nat." Natasha answered.

Thank the Lord for Natasha Romanoff.

I started hanging out with Natasha bunches recently. She seems to be the only person who gets me, or as Clint puts it "Gingers don't have souls, but they have this magic communication 6th sense where they automatically know when another ginger is stressed and they go to their rescue."

Ever sense I became the third ginger in the "collective group of avengers and such" it seems like the reason for everything is "Gingers don't have souls." Therefore, Nat and I take that literally, and pretty much torture anyone who claims we don't have a soul.

"Naaaaaat." I moaned as I walked over to the door and opened it.

Natasha took one look at my washed hair, sudden use of makeup, and destroyed closet, and her deductive reasoning skills kicked in.

"Who is he, Do you need a ride, be home by 10, I swear I won't tell." Natasha said all at once.

"Just some guy from school." I mumbled. "I need help finding something to wear."

"You're asking the wrong person. I kill every guy I date. Plus, you are way too young to be dressing like I dress on most dates..." Natasha rambled on.

I raised an eyebrow.

"Never mind. You should ask Pepper. She's the one that knows this kind of stuff."

"Absolutely not!" I shouted. "Please, just, tell me what stuff you don't like or something"

Eventually Natasha and I decided on a long-sleeved, vintage shirt with a picture of the British flag. I wanted to wear one of my Doctor Who shirts but Natasha insisted that if I did, I would end up talking about Doctor Who, reference to the shirt, and then my date would be staring at my boobs.

My God, Natasha. I'm in High School, You're creeping me out.

Of course, I wore my cutoffs, and I grabbed my replica fourth doctor scarf, since it is winter in New York, but I hate pants (Even with the prosthetics, pants look freakish on me), and I'm petite, therefore ever coat I own eats me alive. Plus, it was a hidden reference. I love hidden references. You find out who really is a fan, and who's a poser.

"Thanks a lot, Nat." I said as she dropped me off at the theatre.

"No problem, lil' Tess." She said scruffing my hair.

"Hey. It took a lot to get it to stay this way!" I said in reference to my itty bitty top knot.

"I know" She winked.


End file.
